Toothpick package



Dec. 30, 1969 D. R. oui-MET 3,486,611

TooTHPIcK PACKAGE Filed June 4, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IFS 40 40; 'I 'Ill 1| 'll l. l I

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Dec. 30, 1969 D. R. oUlME-r 3,486,611

TOOTHPICK PACKAGE Filed June 4, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .Z310/Mraz .EFL/wa @wie U/Mer United States Patent O 3,486,611 TOOTHPICK PACKAGE Delphis Roger Ouimet, Rouyn, Quebec, Canada, assigner of forty-nine percent to R. Jean-Paul Lincourt, Rouyn, Quebec, Canada Filed June 4, 1968, Ser. No. 734,309 Claims priority, applicationzCanada, May 3, 1968,

Int. Cl. A24l21/,0,0;B63d 3/06, 5/51 U.S. Cl. 206-29 7 Claims ABSTRACT F DISCLOSURE This invention relates to toothpick packages and more specifically to an improved sanitary toothpick package.

The majority of toothpick packages heretofore known, are not provided in sanitary packages and these packages are frequently carried in ones pocket where the package may become open and the toothpicks exposed. Of the toothpick packages presently known to the inventor, these do not provide the protection as defined in the present invention.

From one aspect of the present invention there is provided a toothpick package which comprises a cardboard envelope having a plurality of toothpicks detachably secured in the base of the package and being substantially protected by the package. From a further aspect of the invention, for added hygienic protection to the toothpicks, these are wrapped in a sterilized vwrapper which is secured withinthe toothpick package and which may be opened in a predetermined manner by the provision of perforated lines in the front face of the wrapper.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the toothpick package in the closed position,

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective View of the toothpick package in the open position further showing the protective wrapper,

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the blank forming the envelope of the package,

FIGURE 4 is a front view of a sheet of toothpicks as utilized in the package of the present invention (this Iigure is located on the same sheet as FIG. 1), and

FIGURE 5 is a side view of FIGURE 4 (this gure is located on the same sheet as FIG. l).

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIGURES l, 2 and 3 there is shown generally at 10 the toothpick package of the present invention comprising an envelope 11 of cardboard or the like and a plurality of toothpick elements 12 detachably secured therein by suitable means such as a staple 15, shown herein. The toothpick elements 12 may be .manufactured of various lengths, more commonly one to three inches in length and may be dipped in an aromatic solution if desired. As an added sanitary protection to the toothpicks these may be provided in a sanitary wrapper 13 (sterilized paper), totally covering the toothpick elements 12 and also secured in the envelope 11. For access to the toothpick elements ICC 12 the sanitary wrapper 13 is provided with perforations 14 in the front of the wrapper and extending vertically across at the centre and front face of the wrapper and transversely at the top thereof, as shown in FIGURE 2. When access to the toothpicks is required the wrapper 13 is broken along the perforated lines, thus providing two reclosable flap portions, 9a and 9b, permitting access to the toothpicks. Although the Wrapper has been broken along the perforation there is still provided substantial protection by the reclosed flap portions.

Referring to FIGURE 3 there is shown a blank 16 of cardboard or the like constituting the envelope 11. The blank 16 consists of a rectangular back portion 17 having side wings 18a and 18b, a closing flap 19 and a pocket section 20. The side wings 18a and 18b extend from the entire length of the vertical edges of the back portion 17 and are scored in this immediate area as shown at 21a and 2lb. A further score line 22a and 22b is provided a predetermined distance from score lines 21a and 2lb and diverge slightly outwardly to dene protective sides 23a and 23h for the toothpicks 12 when the side wings 18a and 18b are folded thereover. The width of the side wings 18a and 18b are such as to provide an opening 24 (FIG- URE 2) for access to the toothpicks when the package is in the assembled form as shown in FIGURE 2. Also, the upper portion of the side wings should preferably taper downwardly, as shown by numeral 25, to provide better access to the toothpicks 12. As shown in FIGURE 3 the 'bottom portion of the side wings 18a and 18b are provided =with an extension 26a and 26b to ensure connection by the staple 15. Although a preferred shape of the side wings has been described, many other shapes will achieve the same result.

From the lower horizontal edge of the back portion 17 the pocket section 20 protrudes and consists of a substantially rectangular portion 27 of approximately equal width to that at the bottom width of the protective sides 23a and 23b, and having scored longitudinal lines 28 and 29. From the scored longitudinal line 29 a flap retaining portion 30 is provided and tapering from this line to define sides 31 and 32, and extending a limited distance sufcient to overlap at least a limited distance over the transverse base portion 40 (FIGURE 4), to which the toothpicks are secured, and which will be later described.

From the upper horizontal edge of the back portion 17 there is provided a closing flap 19 of substantially identical width to that of the back portion 17. The edge 33 connecting the flap 19 to the back portion 17 is scored to provide bending of the flap over the top of the toothpick elements 12. A second scored line 34, parallel to line 33, is provided to cause the flap 19 to fold over the front opening 24 (FIGURE 2). The distance between scored line 33 and 34 is approximately equal to the width of the upper end of the protective sides 23a and 23b. Each side close to the end of the closing ilap 19 is cutout upwardly and inwardly a limited distance to dene an edge 35 and then upwardly and outwardly, as at 36, to dene a tongue 37 which will match with the ap retaining portion 30, as shown in FIGURE l, to hold the flap 19 closed. To open the package pressure can easily be applied against edge 35 which disengages the tongue 37 with the ilap retaining portion 30. Although the blank herein disclosed has a rectangular back portion extending longitudinally along the vertically axis the shape of this portion may vary with the shape of the contents to be packaged.

As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the toothpick elements 12 are formed integrally with a transverse base portion 40 by suitable means. The sheet of wood is shaped, in cross-section, as shown in FIGURE 5, delining a base portion 40 and a toothpick portion 41. As shown, the toothpick portion 41 is thinned at both ends deiining a weakened area 42 where it connects to the base 40. The toothpick elements 12 provided in this form are maintained substantially rigidly in position and may be easily broken from the base in the area 42 by applying a slight force transversely to its longitudinal axis.

To assemble the toothpick package, one or more sheets of toothpicks, as shown in FIGURE 4, are overlaid and wrapped in a sanitary paper for added sanitary protection and also to retain the odor of the toothpicks if the latter has been treated in an aromatic solution. This package (wrapped sheets of toothpicks) is then placed on the back portion 17 of the blank with the base 40l above score line 28. The side wings 18a and 18b are folded over the base 40l and wrapper and the pocket section 20 folded over the bottom part of the wings and secured thereto by means of a staple 15 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. In this position the perforations 14 in the wrapper 13 appear in the opening 24 and across the top portion of the envelope. The package is closed by folding the flap 19 over the opening 24 and engaging the tongue 37 under the flap retaining portion 30. As shown in FIGURE 1, the staple 15 is positioned slightly below the end of the tongue portion 37 and the tapering edges 35 provide for ease of opening and substantially eliminates accidental opening of the ap because of its tapering edge.

The toothpick package described in the above embodiment contains two or three sheets of toothpicks with approximately twenty-tive to thirty toothpicks per sheet. Although the embodiment discloses a convenient pocket size toothpick package the size of the envelope and sheet of toothpicks may vary substantially without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A toothpick package comprising an envelope substantially enclosing one or more sheets of toothpick elements detachably secured to a respective transverse base, said one or more sheets of toothpick elements being substantially enclosed in a sanitary wrapper having a front face with at least one perforated line therein to facilitate opening of said wrapper, said envelope dening a back portion and a pocket in the lower part thereof receiving the base of said one or more sheets of toothpick elements therein, means for rigidly securing the said base in the said pocket, protective sides extending from said back portion and along the sides of said one or more sheets of toothpick elements and having a portion thereof eX- tending a limited distance over the front of said sheets enclosed in said sanitary wrapper to provide an opening in the front of said package adjacent said perforated line for opening said wrapper and removing said toothpick elements from said transverse base, said envelope further defining a closing flap adapted to detachably engage in 4- the front of said envelope to substantially cover said openmg.

2. A toothpick package as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two perforated lines one of which extends vertically at the center and across the front face of the wrapper and the other of which extends horizontally across the top of said front face.

3. A toothpick package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pocket is formed by the bottom portion of said folded protective sides and a ap retaining portion depending from the lower edge of said back portion and folded over said folded protective sides.

4. A toothpick package as claimed in claim 3 wherein the said means for securing the said base in the said pocket is a staple extending through -said flap retaining portion, a portion of said folded protective sides, said one or more base portions and said back portion.

5. A toothpick package as claimed in claim 3 wherein said closing flap engages a limited distance at its end under said flap retaining portion.

6. A toothpick package as claimed in claim 5 wherein said ilap retaining portion tapers slightly inwardly to its outer edge and wherein the end of said closing ap which engages a limited distance under -said retaining portion is of matching conguration to said engaging portion of said Hap retaining portion, said closing flap also having its side edges tapering upwardly and outwardly from said engaging portion a limited distance to facilitate disengagement of said ap with said retaining portion and to substantially eliminate accidental opening.

7. A toothpick package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said portion of said protective sides extending a limited distance over the front of said sheets define a tapering edge in a portion of its upper part for access to said toothpick elements.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 808,606 12/1905 Hamel 206-29 894,692 7/ 1908 Oertel 206-29 1,824,884 9/1931 Glenn et al. 2,077,046 4/ 1937 Klohr et al. 229-51 X 2,315,438 3/1943 Maresca et al. 206-29 2,330,029 9/ 1943 Cranshaw 229-44 X 2,552,643 5/ 1951 MulniX. 2,760,628 8/ 1956 Briggs 206-29 2,997,162 8/ 1961 Mitchell 206-29 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner Us. C1. XR. 229-14, 44, 51 

